


eleven

by seuljhi



Series: Bal [1]
Category: EXO (Band), SEVENTEEN (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Fluff, M/M, Slice of Life, UAAP, UPMBT!Sehun
Language: Filipino
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-16
Updated: 2020-03-16
Packaged: 2021-03-01 03:47:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 14,827
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23158777
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/seuljhi/pseuds/seuljhi
Summary: pasilip sa buhay ni sehun de liano oh, up men’s basketball team captain and his lover, jeonghan yoon from admu.
Relationships: Oh Sehun/Yoon Jeonghan
Series: Bal [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1878067
Comments: 4
Kudos: 35





	eleven

**Author's Note:**

> **DISCLAIMER** : not from the schools, only picked up some jokes or terms from friends and what i experienced bilang laking katipunan too lol but in no way any of the content represent real life. i think yk that na.

as a student who studies all about the mind and human behavior, naging habit na ni jeonghan manood ng mga tao at mag analyze from the physical outside behavior to the mental aspect of thinking pag he’s talking to a person.

jeonghan sees a mother with her baby na pumapasok sa isang white suv.

he suddenly remembers na limang pages nga lang pala siya sa readings niya about little albert, the baby, who watson experimented on. jeonghan grimaces. he’ll definitely study it later pag uwi niya. pero ngayon, he has to tend to other things.

nako talaga. pagkauwi na pagkauwi niya, he needs to start studying again.

sipping on his venti sized iced machiato with no water, only ice, added with four extra shots of espresso through the paper straw na the starbucks branch sa may petron beside la vista only provided kasi nagprapractice na ang qc maging plastic-free, kanina niya pa pinapanood lang ang mga taong dumaan sa kanyang harapan while he stood outside between sb and tapa king, waiting.

tirik ang araw sa labas since it was just 1pm ng tanghaling tapat at ramdam ni jeonghan ang heat ng mga waves na rinerelease ng mga nakababad na sasakyan under the sun, malapit sa kinakatayuan niya.

abot talaga yung init kahit nasa under the shade naman siya ng building.

he could feel his neck until down to his mismong back drip with sweat, for sure ang kanyang oversized polo ay may konting mga pawis spots na. buti nalang hindi siya ganun nagpapawis tho or else, _yuck_. hindi niya naman din alam na he would be here today.

jeonghan could only grimace again at pinaypay ang sarili gamit ang free hand niya habang iniinom ang kanyang deadly drink.

he feels the ice cold drink inside his mouth, swallowing the taste of coffee without flinching kahit it was very bitter.

ito ang go-to-drink niya ever since naging psych student siya to help him stay awake until nakasanayan niya na pang everyday niyang inumin.

ilang beses na nga ba siya napapagalitan about consuming his coffee? jeonghan can’t count anymore.

what was he doing here kasi? bakit biglaan siyang napababa rito sa may petron and not in uptc where it’s more presko and just a few hundred meters away na kaya naman ni jeonghan lakarin?

kasi jeonghan was waiting for a certain someone, a certain _isko_ lang naman, na nasa may petron treats sa kabilang dulo ng kinakatayuan niya ngayon.

bumibili ng maraming salon pass.

it was just after classes, he was walking palabas ng ng leong hall para makapunta na ng parking when jeonghan received a phone call.

a voice greets him, with a very malambing na boses, the person on the other line asked him if they could meet at petron.

at first, nagtaka si jeonghan at tinanong why sa petron sila magkikita? ang layo layo ng petron sa upd campus at for sure, maraming mga stalls or kiosks sa mismong university niya nagbebenta ng mere salon pass. jeonghan wasn’t sure, hindi naman siya yung isko.

he should’ve expected his answer though pero hindi parin siya sanay. kahit ilang taon na rin. napangiti siya ng mahinhin, ducking down as he walks at the side of the pathway ng ateneo.

“gusto kita makita, bal. excuse ko nalang din ito na diyan sa petron na yan ako bibili since it’s more convenient kasi mas malapit sayo. kita tayo ng ala una, pwede po ba?” jeonghan could imagine nakakunot noo nito.

wala na siyang nagawa and agreed sa gusto ng basketbolista. hindi siya makahindi dahil sa tono ng boses he’s not immuned to at parang pavlov’s theory, conditioned na siya pumayag pag ginagamit ang magaspang at malambing na boses niya to jeonghan.

in short, jeonghan’s man baby was very babied na babied na lalaki pag dating kay jeonghan when may gusto. ito naman siya, he would give anything for him.

“bal,” someone called jeonghan from behind and sa mababa at magaspang nitong boses na kilalang kilala ni jeonghan, he squinted and turned around to look up to the taller.

sehun was wearing his usual black cap, his face medyo tago kasi its hard na if makaattract siya ng attention.

sehun’s curly, dark raven hair under the cap was already sticking out na messily. he needs to pagupit na. jeonghan takes a mental note to remind sehun later in the car.

nakaputi lang siyang t-shirt partnered with his signature maroon basketball shorts, kita ang mabalahibo niyang legs and suot suot ang kanyang black slides.

no, before one even thinks, hindi naka mid ankle socks si sehun. hindi sumunod si sehun sa pormahan na trend ngayon na yan when going out and hindi rin pumapayag si jeonghan na lumabas siya ng ganun.

its so baduy out of the court. hindi naman siya galing basketball training.

the taller was holding a huge paper bag on his other arm while isa namang half filled water bottle sa kanyang kabilang kamay.

“pawis na pawis ka na,” observed sehun who frowned when he notices jeonghan’s reddening cheeks and small beads of sweat na namumuo sa forehead.

the plan kasi si jeonghan sa starbucks while he’d buy his salon pass and by the time jeonghan is out, nakaintay na si sehun pero mas natagalan ito.

“sorry, bal. yung cashier kasi. bagal,” sehun grunted.

jeonghan scrunches his nose, linipat ang sb drink niya on his other hand. “it’s okay. let’s go na?”

there’s no problem naman with him waiting. hindi naman maarte si jeonghan sa pag-iintay, sa init o pag napawisan. sana all ng ateneans.

“kanina ka pa tapos mag order?” tanong ni sehun at hinawakan ang water bottle sa kanyang last three fingers instead, the back of his forefinger’s knuckle reaching for jeonghan’s noo na pawis and tried punasan ito. “palit ka sa kotse, bal, ha. may extra akong damit sa bag.”

“pwede naman,” jeonghan agreed and held sehun’s finger to remove it pero hindi binitawan at hinawakan lang, putting it down between them as they start walking back to car.

hawak ni jeonghan ang finger ni sehun while they walk. tiningalaan ni jeonghan si sehun then to the big paper bag. is it why he took a long time, ang dami naman ata.

“parang that’s not salon pass lang?” jeonghan rose a brow, trying to take a peak sa loob but sehun had the bag slanted away. “you bought so many other stuff. ano yan?”

the isko shrugs at ngumiti kay jeonghan amused, pulling his hand na hawak hawak parin ni jeonghan sa kanyang daliri to try to spin him around kasi nandon na sila sa likod ng car niya.

“oh,” jeonghan realized when he sees his black range rover and smiled sheepishly, letting go of the taller’s finger.

tinapik ni sehun si jeonghan sa may pwetan. “open the car. wait here, palamigin ko lang,” utos niya at nauna.

jeonghan nods, fishing out his car keys at inunlock ang sasakyan na tumunog. nag commute lang si sehun going to petron.

sehun has no car and ever since jeonghan taught him how to drive and helped him get a driver’s license two years ago, he’s the one na ang nagddrive ng sasakyan ni jeonghan pag they’re together.

then the psych major realizes saan ba sila pupunta after? wala silang pinag-usapan anong gagawin after. his classes are done for the day while si sehun, since it’s a thursday, hanggang 11am lang din ang sched niya.

jeonghan memorizes sehun’s schedule and the other memorizes his too. to be honest, they’re both busy sa schedules nila and its so hirap pa when they both attend different universities.

thursday or weekends lang talaga sila nakakapagkita and minsan pa nga, ilang linggo sila hindi magkikita. if time or their scheds permit, after school in the evening at isa sa kanila, matutulog sa house ni jeonghan because sehun’s dorm was crowded.

but katipunan at diliman was just a distance, they were sehun oh and jeonghan yoon. jeonghan yoon from ateneo and sehun oh from up.

para silang mga _kambal_ na simula palang, together and you could never separate.

they make it work. its been how many years anyways.

it makes jeonghan smile then its gone when he realizes matagal na siya nag-iintay.

under the hot sun, jeonghan squinted nang lumabas siya ng shade sa building and went to the passenger side of his car. kita niya through the window at pagpull ng car door, nakaupo na si sehun, kinakalikot ang ac at pinindot ang engine start.

he gets inside as well, putting his keys sa may cupholder as well as his drink pero napangiwi ulit si jeonghan. his leather seats were still hot sa pwetan at hita and ramdam niya dahil nakashorts lang siya.

he also wanted to park sa steel parking underground but it was puno. no choice siya.

jeonghan closes his door shut, buga sa kanya ang malakas na hangin ng aircon na pinalamig na yung loob ng interior niya kahit paano. he sighs in relief, feeling the cold air nip his skin.

inangat ni sehun ang dalawang aircon panel niya sa harap, hindi na nakatutok sa kanya, at binigyan si jeonghan ng tingin. “bal, palit.”

mahina ang immune system ni jeonghan and madali siyang magkasakit, which sucks, kaya tutok palagi si sehun sa kanya when it comes to his health.

jeonghan sheepishly smiles ulit sa stern tone ng voice ni sehun and nodded. lumingon siya sa backseat para kalikutin ang bukas na gym bag ni sehun na may extra black shirt nga while starting to open the buttons ng kanyang longsleeves.

meanwhile, sehun drives them out of the parking, his head looking left and right bago siya lumabas sa may main road ng katipunan. he glances at jeonghan who had his brows furrowed nang nahihirapan siya tanggalin yung gitnang buttons niya. sehun chuckles.

“ano ba yan,” jeonghan mutters, the sleeves slipping off showing his bare shoulder. sehun looks at the road again. “ugh.”

“okay lang yan, bal. buttons lang yan, tao ka.” the car shakes a little bit dahil bumaba sila sa maliit na slope.

“magulat ka if i’m an animal.”

“okay lang. gwapo ka parin,” sehun mumbled but he grimaces after saying that.

jeonghan rolls his eyes pero napangiti. how gay—but hindi nga pala yun yung term for sehun.

“this is why i don’t like these kinds of polo,” sabi niya, successfully removing the button at tinanggal ang buong polo patalikod, sitting half-naked.

kita pa ang mga maliliit niyang baby fats sa tummy.

sanay na din silang dalawa makita ang isa’t isa nakahubad but only half naked since palagi nagpapalit si sehun or pag pagod na si jeonghan, he doesn’t care and just wants to change.

“bakit mo sinuot?” sehun asked, glancing at his rearview mirror.

jeonghan pouts as he sniffs sehun’s shirt, smelling the jo malone cologne he wore. _so bango talaga_. hindi nagkamali si jeonghan na binili niya itong brand and the nectarine blossom and honey scent for sehun way back. sobrang sweet and soft pero ang manly parin. bagay na bagay sa kanya.

then jeonghan fixes the black shirt sa may lap niya, finding the hole of the shirt and rolls the entire body of it para madaling suotin.

“nagmamadali ako kanina. sa car na nga lang ako nagbuttons eh,” explain niya, inserting his head on the shirt’s hole.

tumango si sehun, pinapakinggan lang si jeonghan while driving and leaned his elbows sa may leather rest sa gitna ng upuan nila, driving with one hand. “tapos i almost got late kanina, pota, gusto ko lang naman makuha morning coffee ko.”

“ano oras ka ba nagising?” sehun asked.

“six thirty.” tumaas kilay ni sehun sa sagot ni jeonghan. alam niyang hindi ito ang oras ng gising niya. “that’s why i replied na to your morning message after my first class.”

“late ka natulog?” sehun turns his head to look at a nodding jeonghan who grabs his coffee ulit. “blame my readings. they kept me up late last night. sa sobrang lalim ng tulog ko, i didn’t wake up sa alarm ko.”

“tapos, ugh, katipunan—”

“traffic,” si sehun na ang nagtapos, chuckling, para kay jeonghan dahil alam niyang ito sasabihin nito. ganito talaga pag laking katipunan, expected na unang bwibwisit sayo sa morning ay traffic.

jeonghan nodded and sees sehun’s free hand na nakasandal parin ang elbow sa gitna nila reach for jeonghan’s hand na hawak hawak ang drink niya.

sehun’s large hand compared kay jeonghan holds on the other side of the cup, bale like magkahawak sila ng kamay but the cup was in the way, and inangat niya to drink, bending his head na nakaharap parin sa daanan down a little to sip.

sehun hums, sanay na rin sa kapaitan ng coffee ni jeonghan dahil go-to coffee niya rin ito bilang isang busy na arki student.

sehun grimaces after, not because of the taste but dahil sa straw na ngatngat na ang dulo by jeonghan’s doings. one of the downsides ng paper straws.

jeonghan pouted as he looks at sehun. “for the turtles, bal.”

umiling si sehun, removing his hand to drive with two hands now sa steering wheel. jeonghan knows sehun prefers metal straws. “alam mong mas gusto ko yung, ano, metal ba yun.”

“i know pero ano magagawa ko?” jeonghan snorts. “yan gusto ni ligaya.”

“ligaya,” sehun repeats with amusement. “cute mo diyan, bal. pakiss,” hingi niya jokingly, liningon ang ulo ng onti sideways and puckering his lips a little.

jeonghan laughs, shaking his head. they haven’t. “ewan ko sayo. magdrive ka diyan ng maayos ha. where are we going anyways? iuuwi mo ako ng three.”

“sino nagsabi iuuwi kita,” biglang seryoso na sinabi ni sehun. “saakin ka na uuwi. iuuwi at ibabahay na kita.”

“parang tanga ka, gago.” jeonghan slaps sehun’s hard biceps lightly but he doesn’t remove his hand and stayed there. pinisil niya ito ng madiin para saktan pero walang epekto kay sehun whose lips only quirk up.

“nagigigil ako sayo, bal, ha. pag ikaw pinalagan ko,” jeonghan mumbles, feeling the bulging muscles ng basketbolista niya under his palm.

“palagan mo muna tanong ko,” sabi ni sehun kay jeonghan, glancing again sideways sa kanya. its the only thing he could do quickly since he was driving. jeonghan’s bottom lip juts out, getting what sehun was saying.

jeonghan’s heart suddenly felt heavy as well as the atmosphere between them. biglang nagshift. the music sa radio only played softly sa background.

it didn’t help that the music playing was jej for him, singing with the lines of _di pa tayo pwedeng magkatuluyan baka magalit ang ating magulang pwede naman tayong maghantay_.

sa biceps ni sehun at kamay niya lang nakatingin si jeonghan, ayaw tumingin sa mukha ni sehun.

“what question?” he mumbled, ipinasok ang kanyang kamay sa ilalim ng manggas ng shirt ni sehun to caress his bicep up and down habang malakas na tumitibok puso niya.

umiling si sehun, removing his one hand sa steering wheel at ipinatong sa itaas ng kamay ni jeonghan, stopping the latter from caressing his bicep at hinawakan ito ng mahigpit. “hindi ko na tatanungin hanggang maluwag na. naiintindihan ko naman eh.”

sehun lifts jeonghan’s hand at ilinapat sa kanyang labi. “itutupad natin promise mo kay mama mo, diba?” jeonghan swallows, nodding, feeling sehun’s soft lips on his hand. gumaan din loob niya when he hears sehun call his mom his own mom as well.

kaya hindi niya pa ito sinasagot kahit ilang taon na because honestly, it wasn’t his priority. gragraduate muna siya.

siguro in the eyes of many ang complicated. o its mababaw. it was just a label pero as two people who’s been in love for years but because yung isa may paniniwala to not do things muna because hindi pa sila, its hard.

they haven’t kissed sa lips. kahit peck. nakita na nila ang isa’t isa half naked but it wasn’t a problem, they were both guys naman. jeonghan was just firm to not do things kasi hindi pa sila.

but, honestly, if he was going to be truthful, jeonghan knew they were stuck. what they had right now already is the same as being together pero hindi lang talaga linagyan ng label.

they’ve done things na rin kasi, not too sexual, but surely intimate between the both of them.

“thank you,” jeonghan says, pwestong his hand para kunin ang kamay naman ni sehun at hinila sa kanya. siya naman ang humalik sa likod ng kamay ni sehun a lot of times habang tumingin na siya sa nakangiting mukha ni sehun.

“okay na, bal,” sehun says and steers his wheel to the left kasi may u-turn. “bawi ka nalang?”

they were nearing the intersection papasok ng diliman but jeonghan does not notice that.

“anything,” jeonghan mumbles against sehun’s hand, kissing it ulit. ganito nalang siya bumawi. sa mga gusto ni sehun na kaya niyang tuparin.

its why jeonghan can’t say no in many occassions. if he can, he will do anything for sehun. from school projects that sehun can’t finish dahil sa training to other things.

“samahan mo ako sa training.”

okay. umurong ang sad tears ni jeonghan and he takes everything back. of course, joke lang. but what the fuck, nanlaki ang mga mata niya at tinapon ang kamay ni sehun who pulls his hand too at rinest sa hita niya, tumatawa.

“bal!?” padabog ni jeonghan na sinabi. now, he wants to cry sa inis.

“ano ba yan! alam mong i hate basketball.”

for a good reason.

sehun tutted, pinipigilan na ang tawa kaya ang chinito niyang mga mata ay nakacrescent shaped na.

“this is what you get, bal. nagmamahal ka ng isang basketbolista.” sehun was just joking but both of them know bakit ayaw ni jeonghan.

“and i regret it,” jeonghan jokingly huffs and napapout ulit siya, crossing his arms. kinusot niya ang mga mata niyang may konting luha from a while ago. mukha siyang toddler habang nakaupo sa passenger’s seat.

“bal naman eeehhh!” jeonghan whines more.

“bal,” malambing na sinimulan ni sehun, his free hand reaching out to jeonghan’s thigh. “try mo lang, pwede? if ayaw mo na talaga then pwede ka naman lumabas.”

jeonghan became quiet, staring outside of the window. “ilang years na rin ako nag-iintay na pumunta ka sa games ko.”

ayun na nga. jeonghan felt his resolve soften as well as sehun’s fingers digging lightly. yung tone talaga ni sehun na yan.

after a while of not speaking, jeonghan nodded a little, looking at the window. “okay. try.” he was nervous but it’s been three years.

“salamat, bal.” sehun squeezes jeonghan’s thigh lightly.

jeonghan sighs.

did jeonghan also mention na famous team captain din itong guy niya ng up men’s basketball team sa uaap?

  
  
  


* * *

  
  
  


“seulgi,” jeonghan mumbles, hugging the black haired girl tightly. “grabe yan, seulgi. buti nalang you’re here. your brother in law dragged me here.”

the girl laughs, singkit na singkit ang mga mata nang maghiwalay sila ni jeonghan ng yakap. “grabe ka rin sa brother in law. bata pa po kami ni dowoon.”

nasa labas sila ngayon ng building where the known gym was located under the glaring sun again because naiwan ni sehun phone niya sa car and they were waiting for him.

buti nalang kinuha ni jeonghan ang cap na suot suot ni sehun a while ago and wore it going out with the shirt na sinuot niya kanina. maluwag at malaki ito sa kanya kaya presko even if it was, at like, a hundred degrees.

plus, amoy na amoy niya si sehun.

sakto, seulgi just arrived, the girlfriend sehun’s younger brother who also studies sa up under pol sci.

sehun messaged her na darating sila and if she was free, samahan niya si jeonghan to watch as a moral support. good thing nalang talaga next class niya pa raw is three.

“ah, kuya jeonghan, ito po pala,” biglang sabi ni seulgi, fishing out an id na kita ang maroon lace na nakabuhol on it sa bag niya. “suotin mo.”

jeonghan laughs sa disguise. “oo nga pala. thank you.” he gets the up id sa kamay ni seulgi and wears it. inayos niya ang pagkasuot niya sa lanyard at tiningnan kung kaninong id.

nagulat siya nung nakita niya ang mukha. isang freshman college na sehun, curly haired. nothing changed but sehun’s features from years ago to now is more mature.

“oh my god, ito first id niya dito, ha?” jeonghan coos, poging pogi sa binatang nakafrown sa id picture.

he remembers well this day years ago. he and sehun were not anything yet at that time. they were just friends.

he reminisces remembering how they were at bo’s non, nagbabasa ng case studies. biglang nagulat nalang siya, may umupo sa harapan niya na isang pawisan na sehun, kakaarrive lang after commuting.

“bal, ano ba yan, id picture taking ko kanina. ang panget ko ron, puta.”

naalala ni jeonghan gusto niya sabihin sana kay sehun, panget? ang gwapo gwapo mo kaya but he did not have any courage yet at that time. plus, they were friends, bakit niya sasabihin yun?

the no homo line was not going to work because sehun knows jeonghan was 100% homo.

si sehun noon naman, he wasn’t. a homo.

and when he confessed to jeonghan, he said he still wasn’t homo.

kasi according to sehun, he was a, quote and quote, _jeonghansexual_.

jeonghan still laughs at the term until today but if that’s what sehun identifies himself as then okay. its not bad. it was cute. additional assurance that sehun is only attracted to him and only him.

tiningnan niya si seulgi who gives a toothy smile, yung mga cheeks niya bumibilog. cute talaga ng girl na ‘to. “opo, i asked it from dowoon na kunin po sa dorm nila.”

“uy, seul,” sakto, bati ni sehun who emerges sa likod ni jeonghan. “asan kapatid ko?” tanong niya agad nang tumabi siya kay jeonghan.

napatingin si jeonghan sa matangkad na hawak hawak na ang cellphone at nasa balikat nakasabit ang big niyang duffle bag. he notices din na nakapagpalit na si sehun out of his slides to his worn out basketball shoes that had untied shoe laces.

“bal, your sintas,” paalala ni jeonghan at tumango lang, snaking his hands sa bewang ni jeonghan hawak parin ang cellphone and pulls the smaller closer para halikan ng mabilis sa temple. “opo, later. salamat.”

“hay, cute niyo talaga magjowa,” seulgi says and checks her silver watch. “nasa i-c-e ang sakin, kuya. may klase.”

dowoon is sehun’s younger brother, a second year na nag-aaral din ng engineering related course.

just like sehun, his younger brother was granted a scholarship full ride but instead because of basketball, dowoon graduated with the highest honors in his public school.

see, sehun came from a family full of architects and engineers and sumunod lang din ito sa yapak nila. although, iba ang path na tinake ng older brother niya in up. his kuya took medicine.

other than that, jeonghan also honestly never met any other people na kasing tatalino at gwagwapo ng oh siblings.

“ah.” sehun nods while jeonghan clutches sehun’s hand sa bewang niya as subtle comfort. humigpit lang din ang kapit ni sehun sa bewang ni jeonghan.

patay malisya nalang din si jeonghan at sehun when people call them magjowa. hindi na nila cinocorrect.

at first si jeonghan ang bothered and cinocorrect iba but one time, sehun just talked him about it. hayaan nalang. they know what they are.

“bal, sa iba na nga pala kami nagprapractice. lakad lang ng onti, okay lang?” paalam ni sehun na tinanguan ni seulgi.

“bago na po gym niyo, diba?” tanong ni seulgi. “oo,” sehun answered and usually, he would explain to jeonghan after about his university.

“bal, bagong building na pala kami. dun na kami nagprapractice.”

“wait eh, hindi naman po ata kami pwede dun manood?” seulgi asked.

ngumisi ang basketbolista, shrugging and released himself kay jeonghan, fixing his duffle bag sa shoulders niya.

  
  
  


* * *

  
  
  


“no.”

sehun pouts, nagsiside skip with his hands, as well as his curly hair, bouncing along in front of him sa tabi ng naglalakad niyang coach sa gilid court. “coach, ‘ge na. isang beses lang, first time ko ‘to eh.”

“hindi. manigas ka diyan, oh.”

napakamot si sehun ng leeg, still skipping sideways. coach, kung alam mo lang. “dali na. hindi kita isusumbong don sa teacher mo about our secret walrus trip.”

alam kasi ng lahat sa team na yung coach nila may kasintahan ito na secretary doon sa may dean’s office. and he’s under.

nagkaroon sila ng inuman sa walrus last week secretly na magkakateam and tumakas lang ang coach nila. akala mo kung sino mas bata sa kanila eh.

napatigil ang coach niya sa paglalakad at minasamaan ng tingin ang pinili niyang team captain. “tarantado, subukan mo.”

sehun laughs at tumayo sa harap ni coach johnny niya, pinatong ang kanyang dalawang kamay sa magkabilang balikat nito. “please! paisa lang, sir. game lang naman eh.”

“porket hindi ka pinagbibigyan, saakin ka nag papaisa,” the known coach ng upmbt, si johnny seo shakes his head.

basically, close na close silang dalawa and the rest of the team. marami silang alam sa isa’t isa. parang magkakabarkada lang. kahit strict and mainitin ang ulo like the media portrays him during uaap, sobrang gaan at lucky ka pag player ka ni johnny seo.

“nagpasok ka na nga ng taga kabilang baranggay tapos dito pa. gago ka ba?” but despite coach seo’s words, the old man nods with a dismissive face para tigilan na siya ni sehun.

tinawanan lang ni sehun ang sinabi ng coach niya at napangisi. pinasalamat niya si coach johnny at ipinangako sa kanya ang panalo sa susunod na season.

dito pumapasok ang perks na walang pake si jeonghan sa basketball at ang minamahal niya ay isang mortal enemy ng school niya.

  
  
  


* * *

  
  
  


hiyaw ang unang sumalubong kay jeonghan when he enters the gym and he blinks in surprise. based on the pictures nung lumang gym nina sehun, mas bigger and new looking.

“yo, sehun!” may isang lalaki na linapitan sila, jogging to them and si seulgi sa tabi ni jeonghan squeaked. a girl like her would definitely get flustered.

he was a little shorter kay sehun and also shirtless, kitang kita ang golden skin niya of his malapad na dibdib and abs. nakamaroon shorts lang siya like sehun with the number 12.

jeonghan really tried not to stared and when he puts his attention back kay sehun, nakatingin na sa kanya ito with a raised brow with no emotions.

grabe naman kasi kung hubad na hubad, walang warning or anything.

ganito ba silang lahat palagi? parang _obvi_ naman. realization settles in din kay jeonghan na hubad ba nakatraining si sehun kung saan maraming mga nakatingin.

he knows how sehun looks like pag nakahubad pero like him in training like that?

namula si jeonghan because of his thoughts and watched sehun salubungin yung teammate niya with a bro hug pero hindi talaga nagdikit ang mga balikat ‘cause of pawis.

“bal, si jongin,” bati ni sehun for his friend na nanliit ang mga mata sa namumulang jeonghan kasi akala niya because of jongin.

oh how wrong he is!!

jeonghan also knows of jongin but they never really were close or hung out, even outside campus. sehun doesn’t mix his galas with jeonghan and his friends. it was always the other way around, jeonghan bringing sehun along.

“uy, bal,” jongin amusedly greeted na sehun definitely did not like. uminit ang mukha ni jeonghan. “hello, nice to see you again!” jeonghan was about to say hello too but—

“wag ka maki-bal,” sehun grunted.

“bal,” jeonghan scolded instead. he knows sehun’s friend was just joking naman.

“damot naman, may label?” biro naman ni jongin and jeonghan’s eyes widened. ang pasmado naman pala ng bibig nito! he looks at sehun who glared at his teammate.

“joke lang,” malakas na tumawa si jongin that vibrated in the indoor court at tumalikod ng mabilis to run back sa ibang teammates na nanonood sa kanila from the middle of the court. matinis pa nga ang sound ng sapatos niya kumiskis sa wooden court.

dun din tumingin si jeonghan and lo and behold, more half naked players.

tiningnan niya si seulgi na ang dating maputing pisngi ay pula na din katulad ng sa kanya. siya lang ang babae dito ang it must be overwhelming for her to be in a room filled with testosterones.

“bal,” jeonghan whispers getting the attention of sehun na lumambot ang tingin nang nagtinginan sila ni jeonghan. “we’ll sit na.”

tumango si sehun and guided jeonghan sa may gilid where the chairs were sa may pinakagilid. may mga gamit din doon nakakalat ng mga players siguro.

ramdam ni jeonghan ang mga mata ng teammates ni sehun kaya he glanced at the court where nagbubulungan sila.

hindi na siya tumingin ulit and looks sa wide back ni sehun instead sa harapan niya. sehun suddenly lifts up his middle finger sa teammates na mga tumawa after.

“bal,” jeonghan scolded again, kinurot ang lower back ni sehun pero hindi siya pinansin o liningon, only gently removing jeonghan’s hand from his back. hala.

jeonghan glances at seulgi who mouthed, “ano meron?” jeonghan shrugged worriedly and cautiously looks at sehun who points out the chairs by the wall. “dito ka maupo. palit lang ako.”

tumango si jeonghan, frowning. malamig ang boses ni sehun and mahigpit ang panga, nakatingin sa malayo. “bal,” tawag ni jeonghan sa harap ni sehun at hinawakan ang panga ng mas matangkad. “bakit ganyan?”

“wala,” sagot ni sehun and holds jeonghan’s hand at hinila siya para paupin. jeonghan slowly sits down, nakatingala lang sa matangkad and twists his hand so he could hold sehun’s hand.

jeonghan squeezes it. “i’ll stay to watch. i promise,” he reassures. he will try this time.

jeonghan’s hand then fell when sehun walks away while signalling something sa teammates niya.

“seloso talaga si kuya sehun,” seulgi says beside jeonghan. “alam mo ba may time na sa gitna ng madaling araw he called dowoon to rant about your cat taking your time.”

huh, cute.

he knows madaling maging selos si sehun and nahalata naman niya na kanina pero he didn’t directly point anything out kasi alam niya mas maiinis lang siya.

sehun was possessive at times and wala namang kaso kay jeonghan since it wasn’t the toxic kind.

if anything too, mas kinikilig lang din si jeonghan kasi a jealous sehun was very attractive for him. sehun was ten times more malambing pa pag hindi na masungit after. never niya naman ginawa on purpose din.

“teka.” jeonghan gives the younger girl a look. “ba’t alam mo yan?”

“huh?” nalito si seulgi and its plastered her on face. “what do you mean? bakit alam ko na?”

“tinawagan ni sehun si dowoon in the middle of the night?” he implied na may tingin like a parent knowing what their child has been doing that they’re not supposed to do.

binalikan naman ni seulgi si jeonghan ng weird look. “kasi kwinento niya sakin? kwinento ng boyfriend ko? kuya jeonghan, kaya today?” mukha ni seulgi ngayon was literally a question mark while jeonghan purses his lips.

“akala ko…” he drawls and mukhang nagets ni seulgi. her cheeks became a shade of red again. “kuya! hindi, hey! akala mo ba natulog ako sa dorm niya or something? no!”

“make sure ha,” banta ni jeonghan sa mas bata.

“kuya,” seulgi whined. “syempre nagmomol na kami pero hindi—“

“ano ba yan, naunahan ako ng mas bata saakin,” jeonghan couldn’t help but mutter at natahimik si seulgi. shocked. hindi niya pa kasi alam na hindi talaga sila ni sehun and the reason. hindi rin naman kasi ikwinekwento ni dowoon ata, sobrang tahimik lang ng batang yun eh.

“ha?” ganyan na ganyan palagi ang reaction and he’s used to it. “true ba yan?”

“sssh,” jeonghan hushed, masyadong malakas boses ni seulgi. “conservative ako, okay, pero oo, hahaha.” his tawa became a cough when he realized seulgi only stared in disbelief.

yung tawa niya, soft and shy pa. naramdaman niya uminit ang mga pisngi niya sa topic nito ulet kaya napahawak siya sa cheeks looking at seulgi with nose scrunch. “okay stop na. basta. not yet.”

seulgi then pouted. “you’re missing out.”

he knows that.

kissing sehun was always a dream. literally din. he would dream how his lips would feel against him and kung paano mararamdaman ang ganung intimate sign of connection. as much as forehead, temple, cheek and hand kisses were heartwarming, iba parin ang kissing sa lips, okay.

“o ayan na po ang king maroon!” may mababang boses na malakas na nagsalita, obviously nagpaparinig para marinig ng nakaupo sa chairs which jeonghan did.

of course jeonghan has heard that title of king maroon. he may hate basketball for certain reasons like—that it reminds him of someone he doesn’t want to remember anymore, he knows sehun’s title in the media. uaap players were known, everyone knows.

he leaves his tingin kay seulgi at puts his attention sa court kung saan alam niyang papasok na si sehun to start practicing.

and pota, alam na ata ni jeonghan ang paghihirap na mangyayari to him while watching sehun play basketball. mabuti nalang he was sitting down. at the age of twenty-one, nanghihina na tuhod niya.

  
  
  


* * *

  
  
  


pumito ng malakas ang referee making jeonghan blink back to reality. si seulgi sa tabi niya nakayuko at nagphophone, typing fast whatever on her phone. she was tweeting ata.

_jeonghan, focus._ he told himself and so he did. his eyes zeroed sa matangkad niyang guy na nagjojogging sa court papuntang kabilang side, shirtless.

jeonghan saw him shirtless many times na nga but bakit parang ngayon he’s seeing him in this gym, in his element ng paglalaro ng kanyang sport, ang heightened lahat ng senses ni jeonghan at napapansin niya everything.

kita niya ang malapad at malawak na dibdib ni sehun fully on display, his chiseled chest and tone shoulders to arms were flexing as he runs.

lo and behold too, his body was full of salon pass, from the curve of his neck down to the blades of his back to the sides of his waist. his lean waist displayed his six pack abs and daig pa ni sehun mga bikini models sa sobrang small ng waist niya.

sehun’s curly hair was bouncing a little bit as he runs and basang basa din pa with droplets of water. they were dripping down sa may sideburns niya to his jaw but not too much na umaabot sa floor because obviously that was deliks.

he doesn’t know how to explain it pero one thing’s for sure, alam niyang super nabobother siya. ang hot naman kasi ni gago maglaro.

wala namang hindi maaapektuhan kung ang guy mo for three years and bestfriend of five years ay si sehun de liano oh.

thanks for everything nalang ata, self control.

“kuya jeonghan,” seulgi whispered, nudging the lost in space boy sa tabi niya. napakurap si jeonghan.

“huh?”

tumingin ulit ng maayos si jeonghan kay sehun na nakakunot ang ulo focused na focused sa court sa may three pointer line, defending someone who has the ball.

sehun was crouching low making his maroon shirts hike up sa hita niya to show his toned and muscled na mabalahibong legs while his hands were nasa sa kanyang sides, trying to steal ball.

gago. with a lot of question marks. ang hot talaga.

seulgi giggles beside him and jeonghan looks at her. “watch. ako na nagsasalita for kuya sehun. nakatunganga ka lang kasi eh.” he does follow and in a blink, sehun suddenly had the ball.

jeonghan smiled in amazement and thrill. his nostalgia had hit. this was how he watched sehun used to play and years later, he absolutely was still good and even became better in playing.

napapanood niya si sehun who reaches sa may freethrow line and steps one by one, jumping up high making a one hand lay up and sehun’s hand even banged loudly against the board when he slapped it in the process after shooting the ball sa sobrang tangkad ba naman niya.

  
  
  


* * *

  
  
  


jeonghan’s focus was well, more focused and he was actually enjoying the practice game he’s watching now. or because it was sehun ang naglalaro? he isn’t sure but watching sehun at this very moment just drove him mad silently after the joy.

gusto niya ishout sa buong pilipinas nataga subaybay ng uaap, _hey!!!! he’s mine!!_ jeonghan knows it’s silly pero sa tagal niya bang hindi nakikita si sehun ng ganito, the sport he loves to play.

kasi he has a lot of shortcomings.

he suddenly felt an ache on his chest. this is what he was trying to avoid too. jeonghan remembers the reason why he hates basketball kaya in the years sehun tried to coax him to watch even just one game kahit saglit, he wouldn’t budge.

naalala lang ni jeonghan ang dad niya who was a famous star player in pba but is a retired player now, albeit, still showing up here and there. hindi niya rin naman na alam. he doesn’t let his ties get tangled with his old man anymore.

despite being a basketball player’s son, jeonghan wasn’t interested in the sport nor does he plan to fully…as of now.

he’s only putting up with it now and trying to overcome his hatred for it because it was the love of his life’s favorite thing in the world next to him. oo, confident talaga siya don.

but he won’t discredit the fact that kaya nga sila nagkakilala ni sehun is dahil sa basketball and dad niya. it was him who introduced them both kasi sehun was once a player of his dad sa kanto ligas in their old home sa rizal. it was how they became close.

but his dad pursued basketball and more fame, leaving them behind. ever since his mom cried in front of him at sinabi sa kanya ang totoong ginawa ng tatay niya, jeonghan hated his father.

anything related to him became a taboo in his life. tinanggal niya ang lahat ng may relation sa tatay niya away from his life.

jeonghan almost made sehun a part of that. dati.

he almost lost sehun in his life sa pagpupush away niya rito since he only reminded him of the man who broke his family, him, and his mom who left him after so soon. it left too much damage for jeonghan. sehun was his bestfriend whom he found a connection with.

connection na hindi naman _hanggang friends_ lang.

luckily, it was sehun’s confession about how he felt for jeonghan saved them before he could push him away even further away.

so here they are, after three years. marami na silang pinagdaanan together and jeonghan was so thankful everyday na he didn’t let sehun go.

jeonghan wouldn’t know kung anong kalagayan niya ngayon without sehun. he’s independent but sehun was his pillar when he could not do things alone anymore.

sehun helped him in more ways than one.

seulgi shook jeonghan ng mahina na tumingin din agad kay sehun who’s about to shoot a three.

  
  
  


* * *

  
  
  


jeonghan watches sehun’s back muscles flex nang nakaarch na ang kanyang mga kamay to shoot the ball, his knees bended low at mataas na tumalon si sehun nang mabilis habang pumalintik ang kamay niya to release the ball, followed with a follow through.

even if jeonghan hates basketball, he grew up with it. may mga alam naman siyang jargons.

everything also happened like slow motion kay jeonghan.

it was like everyone in the court like blurred and si sehun lang siya nakatingin. this was the first time after three years he really watched sehun play and it felt so good, yet may lingering feeling parin ng sadness deep down.

he hasn’t been supportive because of his own issues but sehun understood and helped him get better too. he shouldn’t even be thinking about his bastard of a dad anymore.

sehun turns back smoothly after shooting and rinig ang pag swish ng net dahil naipasok niya ang bola. everyone clapped including seulgi na sobrang naexcite but jeonghan stayed still, his eyes only looking at sehun.

their eyes met in the middle of the court and sehun just winks with no emotion.

jeonghan’s heart jumped but he could only give a sad smile.

“i’m sorry,” jeonghan mouthed softly, apologetic.

sehun understood what he meant but the basketball player just shook his head.

“it’s okay,” sehun mouthed and humarap na ulit sa net pababa ng court, mga teammates niya including jongin na tinapik siya.

“shoot now, landi later,” said their coach johnny seriously and it made the team laugh while getting in position ulit sa court.

there’s one buff dude na kamukha rin ni jongin na matangkad at tanned skin din, a little darker than jongin, with bulging muscles. naka dry fit siya at sobrang yakap na yakap ito sa kanya, who shouts, “coach, hindi ba landi now tapos shootan mo later.”

malakas nanaman ang mga hiyaw habang si sehun nagscowl. “tarantado, mingyu.” the upmbt just laughs again while their coach shakes their head on the sidelines.

seulgi gags.

jeonghan just sinks in his chair quietly, blushing.

  
  
  


* * *

  
  
  


it was jeonghan now who was going to drive his car.

sehun’s game only lasted two hours with a lot commercial breaks dahil they kept on pausing also when mistakes or moves were made and coach seo would correct them. kind of, like, learning as you go through style.

at first, it kind of annoyed jeonghan na may mga pauses when he was enjoying how the game flow went. the passes between sehun and his teammates made him dizzy sa mabilis na paikot ikot nito in the court under the twenty four seconds shot clock pero ang thrilling panoorin.

sehun would shoot a lot of points on the painted areas and even if the ones defending him were tall as or taller than him, jeonghan watched sehun shoot the ball with ease as if he was not lifting a single finger.

then the training after. seulgi left afterwards kasi may class na siya. they exhanged besos then told each other to text if may need.

so the training was hell to watch kahit para kay jeonghan. parang siya ang napagod. ang tindi ng mga practices. he watched how sehun was good and swift at dribbling balls with his slender and thick fingers. sehun was really good at shooting too, he took note.

jeonghan doesn’t want to say it pero parang ang kaya pala talaga bastos slangs ng basketball players. he snorts.

jeonghan then smiles habang nakacross arms siya and nakasandal on his rover na nakaon na ang makina and purring its engine. the sun was already setting and the wind that blew this afternoon was breezy na.

he basically just watched a basketball game and kind of enjoyed it. he was kind of expecting it naman na din despite wanting to run away from anything that involved the sport.

it was because of sehun.

true love? jeonghan shakes his head, smiling.

true love.

“sino nagpapangiti sayo ng ganyan, ha? magseselos na ba ako?” sehun’s raspy voice asked suddenly out of the blue and jeonghan’s smile just widened.

he stares up at his guy na nakacross arms sa harap niya.

sehun already changed out of his playing uniform na ginamit niya kanina and was wearing a plain grey hoodie instead and well, no surprise there, a different basketball shorts. his duffle bag is also nakasabit sa shoulder niya.

jeonghan grinned, stepping closer to sehun at cinup ang cheeks nito. his palms felt the cold and smooth skin of sehun na kakashower lang kaya pinull niya agad kamay niya and balled them into a fists.

“oops, sorry, bal. i shouldn’t touch your face pala after showering. baka you might get pimples,” nguso ni jeonghan.

umiling si sehun, his eyes singkit sa pagturn upwards ng labi niya ng onti. jeonghan looked like a cute cat right now. “so? sino yon?”

“who?” jeonghan asked back na may ngiti rin. he’ll indulge sehun.

“nagpangiti sayo.”

“my guy,” jeonghan answers teasingly, tilting his head as he stares up at sehun who narrows his eyes playfully sa kanya. “he’s a great basketball player, by the way. i loved watching his game…kahit hate ko basketball…” jeonghan drawls.

sehun face softens into an emotion—something else that jeonghan can’t really read.

he’s a psychology major but not once, kahit isang beses jeonghan tried to analyze sehun and go into technicality like the psych major he is when it comes to sehun’s emotions and behavior.

loving someone should not be technical. it does not come with a manual, either. you understand, appreciate what you receive and give, reciprocate what you can. not necessarily give and take but appreciate.

“hindi naman sumama loob mo dahil dinala kita doon sa loob?” tinanong ni sehun quietly, his eyes serious nang iginagala ni sehun mata niya carefully to check on jeonghan.

umiling si jeonghan. “i wouldn’t call it sama ng loob—but it did remind me of dad.” wow, mentioning his dad kind of wasn’t a burden like before, jeonghan realizes. this was one of his huh moments.

“sabi na nga dapat hindi ko na hini—“

jeonghan hushes sehun, dinutdot chest nito where his heart was. his finger stays. napatigil si sehun from talking and looked at jeonghan with furrowed eyebrows.

“mine,” jeonghan says, “is happy.”

“hindi ka na galit sa kanya?” tanong ni sehun which jeonghan shook his head to.

he was still angry at his dad but hindi naman yun yung ibig sabihin niya ngayon. he couldn’t forgive—at least not anytime soon—his dad. but that wasn’t his point.

“i still am, sehun,” jeonghan says quietly. “pero i’m more happy than anything that you convinced me to go inside. i watched again how you play, bal. i watched for you and because of you, and i loved it because it was you playing what you love.”

hindi umimik si sehun but they stared at each other as the sun behind rested to give way for the night. at the time of sunset sa up, the wind was cold and breezy, masarap sa pakiramdam ang simoy ng hangin.

sehun sighs.

“it’s time to go home, kiddos.”

coach seo.

si sehun unang nakipaghiwalay ng tingin para lingunin si coach johnny seo.

“coach,” bati ni sehun.

jeonghan retreats, smiling politely sa coach ni sehun. hindi na siya intimadated like a while ago. they actually got to talk when it was the boys’ break and may kinuha si coach seo malapit sa chair ni jeonghan.

coach seo had asked him kung bakit first time niya manood.

he gave it a thought. then with a smile, sumagot siya, simply.

jeonghan uttered a name that meant a thousand of feelings.

his love for sehun will top any hatred he has.

“got it, captain?”

sehun grunted.

“alright. ingat kayo.”

hindi na narinig ni jeonghan kanina kung ano man sinabi ni coach seo kay sehun and just sees the giant coach’s back retreat into the dark in the parking lot, finding his own car.

he looks back kay sehun na nakapoke ang dila niya sa cheek and narrowed eyes, nakatingin sa malayo. it was a habit sehun did when he’s annoyed or overwhelmed.

naconcern si jeonghan. “bal?” he calls sehun.

with a serious face, dark eyes and locked jaw, sehun’s handsome face was unreadable but jeonghan stared at the taller expectantly. though, jeonghan didn’t expect na sasabihin ni sehun ‘to.

“sleep with me tonight.”

if jeonghan was drinking something right now, nabugahan niya na si sehun sa mukha. all he could react with is the air kaya he literally choked on air, spluttering parang tanga.

the ateanean stares at his isko guy bewildered dahil in his selected vocab, akala niya, sleep as in _fuck_. that’s only because kung ano ano pumasok sa isip niya kanina!

which jeonghan finds ridiculous na sehun asked kasi even kiss, hindi pa nila nagagawa.

sehun sighs, his face still serious kahit nakikita niya si jeonghan mawalan ng kulay sa mukha.

“bal, sleep as in, literal na sleep,” sehun gravelly said, a small side smirk finding its way on his lips.

_oh_. oo nga naman.

“sabi ko nga,” jeonghan mutters breathlessly. tumalikod siya to face his car and composes himself by looking at himself sa reflection niya on his dark tinted car window. he palms both of his cheeks which heated up after paling.

he faces sehun again mukhang he was now relaxed and looked more amused than anything. linapit ni sehun face niya and tapped down the front of the cap na suot suot parin ni jeonghan lightly.

“ikaw, kung ano iniisip isip mo, mahal ko,” sehun says with such fondness. it embarasses jeonghan even more. sehun rarely calls him mahal ko and only when he does something silly that sehun finds endearing.

  
  
  


* * *

  
  
  


the last time jeonghan was in sehun’s dorm ay two years ago. yes, two years ago. it was sehun who always would visit him sa bahay niya in xavierville because sehun always insisted. also, nakatira si sehun with six people.

its hard to have alone time unlike jeonghan who only lived with his guardian, ate irene.

in god’s grace, for some reason, lahat ng roommates ni sehun today, on a thursday, were out. it was only thursday? kaya jeonghan can’t help but get tiny bit suspicious pero baka naman kasi talaga maluwag na silang lahat para umalis on a school night.

“san dormmates mo? kahit isa wala?” jeonghan frowned, pinagmasdan ang kwarto ni sehun pagpasok.

its your typical dorm room na puro bunk beds and there’s four, two on the left side and two on the right side magkatabi vertically sa wall.

their dorm room looked like those rooms na makikita mo sa mga cabin of sorts.

quite to contrary belief na the upmbt’s captain was rich and lives in a grand housing since he is the captain of upmbt, titled as king maroon with two consecutive mvp awards as back to back champion, and all the titles he has as a famous basketball player hindi yun yung case.

it was one of the sides jeonghan loved about sehun. hindi nakatapak si sehun sa mataas na pedestal porket he was famous. he was down to earth and doesn’t really use his privileges.

the captain was a simple man, a hardworking and gentle guy under the brooding exterior people knew him for.

isa pa is mas conscious pa si sehun when it comes to being malinis and neat kaya jeonghan is not surprised when instead of a magulo na dorm with six big boys living together, lahat organized at walang pakalat kalat na gamit.

takot lang nila sa kakambal ni levi ackerman, the total neatfreak in the anime sehun likes. jeonghan watched that episode and its so funny na parehas sila ni sehun ng ugali.

jeonghan spots sehun’s bunk bed na alam niyang sa kanya because of the bedsheets. the sides of his lips quickly tip upwards and a giggle comes out.

linapitan niya bunk bed ni sehun, which the isko was occupying the lower bunk, and touched the soft blanket with sunflower drawings as a design.

regalo niya ‘to a year ago for their third anniversary—as people who loved each other. oh diba, even if they weren’t _together_ together, they considered the day of their confession as something to celebrate.

excuse na rin ata ng dalawa na no matter what day, they will clear their schedules at mag dadate night or anything together. a special day. birthday nila as magkambal, biro ni sehun minsan.

“i’m surprised, ha.” jeonghan looks at sehun na may hinahanap sa brown, wooden closet on the other side of the room. “you’re using this. hindi ka ba pinagtatawanan ng roommates mo?” the atenean is more amused than anything.

sehun shrugs before looking over sa kanyang shoulder to look at jeonghan, scoffing. “palagi, bal. pero pake ko? bigay mo eh.” then he looks back inside the closet to rummage whatever na hinahanap niya.

jeonghan smiles like the lovesick fool he is. kilig siya eh. “hindi talaga halata na you’re in love with me, ‘no? mahiya ka naman, kahit konti naman, bal, leave some manly pride will you?”

he’s just joking naman, because hello, duh, toxic masculinity is so last decade.

tumigil si sehun sa pagrurummage. napamewang siya sa waist niya at napabuntong hininga. like as in yung malalim na sigh with his shoulders really sagging afterwards.

jeonghan sits on sehun’s bed, inipit ang kanyang mga kamay on his tiyan while staring at sehun’s back. akala ni jeonghan may hindi mahanap si sehun. “bal? may hinahanap ka ba? you want me to look for it?”

“jeonghan.”

nagulat si jeonghan sa pagkababa at serious ng voice ni sehun. plus him calling jeonghan’s name without their endearment. “yes po?” he replies, tilting his head.

“sana alam mo pag dating sayo palagi ko ibababa pride ko.”

jeonghan’s eyebrows shoot up, not expecting that. he smiles again affectionately afterwards, anyways. palagi nalang seryoso si sehun sa mga ganitong bagay.

in their years of relationship, jeonghan never fails to get surprised with sehun.

he stands up, the springs of sehun’s old bunk creaks a little and linapitan ang basketball player who was still facing backward.

“bal,” jeonghan calls sehun in a malambing manner, drawling his -al and bit his lip. linagay niya hands niya sa magkabilang balikat ni sehun and minasahe ito. he felt sehun’s tense shoulders relax under his touch.

jeonghan tiptoes, his lips ghosting over sehun’s mabango, amoy cologne, and kahit pawis na nape.

jeonghan loved paano talaga naghalo amoy ni sehun sa nectarine and honey na yun. he suddenly had the urge to kiss sehun’s batok.

so jeonghan did kiss sehun’s nape. fast na peck lang.

“i love you!” sabi niya ng mabilis.

he grinned like a cheshire cat after. alam niya magiging reaction ni sehun.

in three, two, one—

jeonghan laughed out loud when mabilis na lumingon si sehun at nagcrouch low, wrapping his thick biceps around his pwetan area at ibinuhat siya ng walang kahirap hirap. “oh my god, bal!” he shrieked.

jeonghan gripped sehun’s shoulder, trying not to squirm kasi sehun started _brrrbrrr-ing_ his neck a lot of times habang linalakad silang dalawa ni sehun papunta sa bunk niya.

“stop! tickle ako!” jeonghan shrieks more, laughing louder.

sehun hums, stopping what he was doing and looks up kay jeonghan who looks down at him. yung binubuhat napabuntong hininga kasi akala niya tapos na. hindi pa pala.

parang sa basketball, finake ni sehun yung pag lapit niya ng head sa tiyan ni jeonghan kaya napasigaw ulit si jeonghan. “bal, stop na!” jeonghan pleaded with a laugh.

“pag isipan ko,” sehun grunted nang inayos niya buhat niya kay jeonghan. “ang cute mo.”

“i know,” jeonghan says in a matter of fact tone. he means, he has the sehun de liano oh wrapped in his fingers. only cute ones, specifically him ha and only him, can have that power.

the basketball player makes face. “mahiya ka naman,” he mimicked jeonghan with a childish tone.

jeonghan’s face showed he’s offended and he was about to say something back nang he feels sehun remove his one arm kaya he almost slipped and napahawak siya tightly again sa balikat ni sehun but binuhat ulit siya ni sehun ng maayos.

sehun’s other arm goes upwards and goes to shield jeonghan’s bunbunan with his whole hand at dahan dahan siya nagkneel siya sa lower bunk niya and at least tried na ibaba si jeonghan sa bed niya.

jeonghan, however, clinged like a koala. he wraps himself around kay sehun tighter and, inevitably, naramdaman ni jeonghan hips niya snuggly fit between sehun’s lower hips too and like any other time, he acts natural. this was normal between them.

sehun was still supporting jeonghan’s likod pero yung kamay niya nasa head ni jeonghan was already down, supporting his weight sa bed. sehun’s strength knows no bounds. “bal, baba,” he grunted.

“nope.” jeonghan pops the p, staring up. it was dim na kasi nasa ilalim na sila ng bunk but because of the orange lighting inside the dorm room, half of sehun’s face was shadowy. “you know love ko nagclicling sayo like this.”

“alam ko. dali na,” sehun says, his eyes scrunching up. “magshoshower lang ako.”

“hmm.” kunyareng nag isip pa si jeonghan. “no parin. mamaya ka na magshower. i’m already comfortable, oh,” he whines petulantly.

love na love niya yung ganitong pwesto pag niyayakap si sehun.

seemingly with no choice na talaga, sehun sighed and nodded. “sige na.” he folds his elbow to lower down jeonghan na talaga sa bed with his bed slightly creaking again.

sehun adjusts his knees at the side of jeonghan’s in the process.

jeonghan lit up, nakuha ang gusto niya. medyo mainit na kaya malagkit balat nilang dalawa together.

but it’s okay, they’ll shower—individually—later. sehun removes his hand under jeonghan’s body at linagay sa waist niya.

sehun rubs jeonghan’s waist up and down while hovering on top of him. jeonghan grins, unwrapping his legs sa likod ni sehun and plants his feet down on the bed with his legs folded sa sides ni sehun. he doesn’t remove his arms sa shoulders ni sehun tho.

“what do you want to do tonight?” ask ni jeonghan.

“maligo muna,” sehun deadpans.

“eh, i mean, pagkatapos mo magshower. plus you just ligo-d kanina.”

“hindi ako naligo mabuti don, bal.”

“arte mo talaga.” ngumuso si jeonghan. then napansin niya yung upper lip and chin and ni sehun. his eyes squinted and saw the peaking hairs na lumalabas. his hand goes to sehun’s cheek at gamit thumb niya, he rubs them.

“ano ginagawa mo?” sehun questioned him with a quizzical look on his face dahil kung kapain ni jeonghan bibig niya.

“may hairs na,” jeonghan murmurs, staring intently at sehun’s upper lip, chin and his gaze naturally gravitates towards sehun’s plump lips. again, ito yung mga times natetempt siya to just lift his head and kiss him.

but the boy under the basketball player swallows. he stares at sehun na nakataas kilay sa kanya.

“mag shave ka na,” sabi niya lang. then he has an idea. “shave ko yan!” he muses his idea out loud and bago pa man makareact si sehun, jeonghan unclings himself and tinulak si sehun ng biglaan para sabihin magshower na.

which resulted with a loud bang and a loud groan.

“ay pota!” nagulat si jeonghan. “oh my god, bal, i’m so sorry! are you okay??!”

“oo, okay lang,” sabi ni sehun habang kinakamot ulo na tumama sa taas ng bunk. jeonghan grimaces. kailangan niya mag ingat next time. “bal, next time, ingat please.”

“opo, oh my god,” jeonghan murmured, biting his finger with a grimace. “sorry bebe. i forgot.”

“masyado kang nadistract sa lips ko,” sehun groans out ng walang preno. hinampas ni jeonghan siya tuloy sa chest. “hindi ah!” dineny ni jeonghan when it was kind of half true.

“sus,” sehun chuckles at dumungaw na out of the bunk to stand up. pinanood lang siya ni jeonghan as sehun holds the upper bunk and looks at jeonghan na nakahiga, smiling apologetically parin.

hinawakan ni sehun balbas niya, talagang feeling his upper lip and chin. “oo nga ‘no, meron na. sige, tawagin kita mamaya papashave ko ‘to sayo.” lumingon si sehun for a quick second. “may inayos akong damit mo. nandon sa aparador.”

medyo naconfuse si jeonghan so he lifts his upper body up. “huh? what’s aparador?”

sehun sighs in amusement. “masyado ba deep yung word na aparador, bal? closet yun, mahal. dun ko hinahanap mga damit mo kanina.”

“ah, hehe.” jeonghan realizes. he won’t ask anymore why he has more clothes here. sehun borrows his clothes sometimes and as per his boxers, he has an emergency set sa car niya. he’s always prepared ha. dito din nagtutugma personality nilang dalawa ni sehun.

“okay. ligo ka na.”

  
  
  


* * *

  
  
  


one of the nice things sa dorm ni sehun is their cr was not those public shared bathrooms and their bathroom is inside their dorm room nakaconnect mismo.

so they don’t need to rush if sehun and his dormmates’ schedules were not magkadikit and they could play music.

so while jeonghan was checking his twitter feed, scrolling randomly and watching viral tiktok videos, narinig niya mas lumakas yung jeje tagalog rap music ni sehun playing sa banyo.

nasa opposite side lang sa bunk ni sehun yung bathroom, kitang kita, so jeonghan’s gaze from his phone went to the door kasi nakutuban niya na bumukas na.

again, ulitin niya lang, it was not their first time to share a night and especially see the guy half naked.

although, bihira lang din makita ni jeonghan ito nakahubad because sehun prefers wearing a shirt around when he’s with him para daw he’s not uncomfortable.

and alam niyo, matagal na ni jeonghan gusto umangal about that he doesn’t mind but he’s shy so no nalang. he _really_ doesn’t mind.

he doesn’t mind how kita niya nakalean si sehun with his hands on the sink, his toned arms bulging.

“bal, pashave na,” sabi ni sehun habang tinitingnan ang sarili sa mirror tapos he started jutting his jaw and chin to check the balbas he’s going to sport soon if hindi niya ishashave. which jeonghan will do.

“uhyuhw muh uhkong muhy buhlbuhs?” sehun then asks, speaking kind of incoherent since nakafrown lips niya para mas makita niya yung mga buhok on his upper lip.

“ha?” jeonghan asks, sitting down sa side ng bed to slip on his slippers. may slippers din siya sa car kaya he’s not wearing his shoes anymore.

“bal, can you hina your jeje music? ano sabi mo?” he asks, looking down and pushes himself up para tumayo papuntang banyo.

sehun stops checking his face out at tiningnan si jeonghan kind of offended. “what?” naman ang tanong ni jeonghan as he enters the banyo. unlike the room, the bathroom has a white bulb light kaya ang bright.

hinanap niya yung razor and shaving gel ni sehun which was already in the sink. he looks back at sehun who is still nakatingin sa kanya. sehun looked crazy right now with his curly hair still dripping wet tingnan.

“tinawag mo si al james…jeje?” tanong ni sehun, frowning. he was obviously sulking but jeonghan didn’t get why.

jeonghan’s eyebrows furrowed. “al james?”

who’s al james? jeonghan has no clue.

“you called the music i’m listening to jeje!” sehun says, offended na offended talaga.

jeonghan blinked and listened to the music carefully, booming in the bathroom.

_pagkasapit na ng madaling araw at wala ka. sabi mo hindi naman kasi napasarap narin naman. ang paghiga mo dito saking kama._

the low, raspy voice raps in sensual tagalog. oh my god, what was jeonghan hearing? he glances at the jbl speaker na umiilaw.

jeonghan also blushes sa mga words na narinig. sehun clears his throat as well pero binigyan parin si jeonghan ng mukha. their music tastes were different kasi eh.

sehun leans on the sink again with one arm, nakaharap kay jeonghan. “bal, hindi siya jeje, okay. alam kong gusto mo yung mga brigade brigade—“

“excuse me, they’re—“ mabilis na sumabat si jeonghan then realizes what sehun said. dinutdot niya chest ni sehun. “excuse me, its not brigade, what the hell, bal. its renegade. ano yan, army?!”

“ay hindi ba?” tumawa si sehun, grabbing the razor from the sink. “oh ito na po. shave mo nalang ako. dahan dahan ha. wag moko sugatan.”

“gago,” inis na sabi ni jeonghan, pulling that malutong na mura accent like the atenean he is, pulling the razor from sehun. “akin na nga.”

jeonghan grabs the shaving cream din and uncaps the bottle. while he does that, sehun fixes his towel on his waist na onti nang lumuluwag. napatingin si jeonghan ng saglit but back to what he was doing.

then his eyes look again sa abs ni sehun, droplets of water still dripping sa mga korte nito, going down inside the towel which sehun’s happy trail along his v-line leads to. jeonghan doesn’t realize it but he completely stopped sa paglilipat ng shaving cream.

“bal.”

“huh?”

jeonghan tries to act natural. he squeezes the cream sa razor. yeah, right.

wait, what? he looks up kay sehun who’s smirking knowingly.

huli siya, gago.

“bakit sa razor mo linalagay? hindi ba dapat sa mukha ko dapat,” pang aasar ni sehun and jeonghan wants to smack that smirk out of his handsome face right now.

he didn’t even realize sehun lowered down his speaker pero so what if nadistract siya ng slight sa washboard abs ng basketbolista.

sabi ni ate irene niya _look around you and appreciate what you have_.

he is just appreciating what he has and that’s sehun——and his abs. heat rushes to his face again.

it was jeonghan who made face naman ngayon. he wipes off the cream and padabog na linipat sa chin ni sehun. the taller laughs and hinawakan hips ni jeonghan. “ito naman, di maasar.”

“ito naman, hindi maasar,” jeonghan mimicked in a low, gruffy voice.

before makaiwas si jeonghan, sehun, with shaving cream already patted on his chin, swerves to duck down a little to peck jeonghan’s cheek. “love you, baby.”

jeonghan’s jaw physically drops oa-ly. “hey!” pinunas niya yung cream na napunta sa cheek niya and wiped it hard on sehun’s bulky chest. of course, sehun would say something again.

“hokage naman, bal. kung gusto mo hipuin katawan ko, pwede mo naman gawin.”

jeonghan’s eye twitched.

two can play at this game.

he sighs, lowering down the razor and cream.

“really, bal? pwede?” jeonghan asks innocently, like a 360 switch, he went to an innocent looking boy asking. he peered up, fluttering his eyelashes kay sehun. “i can touch you?”

hindi inakala ni sehun jeonghan would reply like that. his face showed he was going to sweat kahit kakashower lang niya. jeonghan also felt sehun’s hand sa hip niya mas humigpit. aha. “h-ha?”

jeonghan on the inside was smirking. he knows sehun was also going to be flustered, even a little. a guy is still a guy.

one thing also is that sehun is one, big uto-uto.

with the shaving product in his hand, jeonghan used his forefinger para iswipe yung cream na nasa chest ni sehun. jeonghan smeared it down slowly while biting his lip, tracing the curves of sehun’s protruding chest.

okay, like, maybe he’s not doing it right now to pull sehun’s buttons and is also enjoying this.

“bal,” sehun’s voice was now mas magaspang and lower, sounding as if he had something stuck in his throat. buti nalang his voice didn’t crack or else jeonghan would’ve laughed talaga.

“pinaglalaruan mo lang ako eh.” it seems like he knows but jeonghan doesn’t stop his act.

“no?” jeonghan asks making his voice teasing and sultry as he can get. tiningalaan niya si sehun na nandidilim na ang paningin because of what he’s doing right now. “you started this,” jeonghan innocently said.

the smaller watches sehun’s jaw clench at naramdaman kamay niya sa kanyang bewang to snake on his back and slide down sa kanyang pwetan. lumaki mga mata ni jeonghan when hinila siya ni sehun closer at tinagilid to cage into the sink.

gigil na pinisil ni sehun pwet niya.

pinalo niya agad si sehun agad sa chest.

pati siya nalagyan na shirt niya nung cream na nasa chest ni sehun.

“bal! no touch there!” he squeaked, getting embarassed. wala na, tumiklop siya because of sehun squeezing his ass. “you can’t just do that, gago!”

“tinatawag mong jeje si al james eh,” sagot ni sehun nonchalantly, not the slightest bit bothered.

hinampas naman ni jeonghan arm ni sehun. “remove!” he looks down at the black shirt he changed into after their petron stop at may white blob na of the shaving cream. “nalagyan na o.”

“magpapalit ka rin naman eh. mamaya na,” sehun says at kumalas na, releasing jeonghan’s body. hawak hawak niya yung nakaipit na part of his towel while jeonghan scrunches his nose.

“can we just get this over with, bal?” jeonghan sighs, trying to stray his thoughts away sa pag pisil ni sehun ng pwet niya, still feeling the basketball player’s large palm. “mamaya mo na ako ifry because i called your idol jeje.”

sehun snickers but nods as he fixes his towel on his waist.

the two of them in the small bathroom go silent after the banters and pagteatease. jeonghan quietly, as the bottle can get, squirts a load of cream into his fingers, waving them. “bal, lapit,” utos niya habang naglalagay.

sehun holds his towel and steps closer again; jeonghan looks down at him and starts to spread the cream sa chin then upper lip. jeonghan smiles. sehun was looking down, cross eyed while may white cream na siya sa face.

sehun, right now, smells like the minty shaving cream and his toothpaste ata yun. sehun also smelled like jo malone parin but with a hint of safeguard kasi that’s the sabon sehun uses and its his after shower smell.

jeonghan gets the razor again and starts to gently scrape off sehun’s hairs starting sa chin. he was just using the manual razor so he’s extra careful and gentle sa paglalapat in sehun’s skin. with his other hand, he opens the sink on his side and winash off yung cream sa razor.

he repeats a lot of times, shaving everything in sehun’s chin first then to the taller’s upper lip. the whole time, tinitingnan lang siya ni sehun while jeonghan was focused in his task, concentrating on sehun’s mouth.

tapos na.

“done,” jeonghan voices out, washing the razor for the last time at tiningnan ulit upper lip, chin and even jaw ni sehun while holding the taller’s panga. he cups sehun’s jaw. “smooth na, bal.”

“thank you, baby.”

jeonghan shrugs and wisks the razor dry, closing the tap sideways.

“okay, me next. maliligo na ako. wait for me sa bed.”

  
  
  


* * *

  
  
  


okay, so, sehun is gwapo.

as in, really, really gwapo.

jeonghan could stare at his face all day, all night kahit hindi pa siya magbat ng single eyelash. so that is what jeonghan does. he challenges himself to not bat a single eyelash while staring at sehun’s relaxed, sleeping face.

hawak hawak niya panga ni sehun and he could feel the bigger man breathe peacefully as he sleeps. they were both under the sunflower blanket, legs tangled, sehun facing him and curling a little bit like a baby.

jeonghan had his elbows folded habang nakalean sa palm niya sideways and really, just observing the older sleep ng mahimbing.

he rubs the kokorte of sehun’s clean shaved jaw, feeling the smooth and soft skin. sehun was shirtless tonight and ramdam ni jeonghan init ng katawan niya simula when jeonghan cuddled him.

“bat hindi ka pa natutulog?”

jeonghan licks his lips, using his forefinger to brush away the curly locks of sehun sa noo niya away. jeonghan shrugged his free shoulder. “titingnan pa kita.”

his voice was soft in a whisper unlike sehun’s na deep and husky.

sehun’s eyebrow twitched. “ha?” sehun drawled, sleepily.

“nothing,” jeonghan whispers, bringing his hand back to sehun’s shaved jaw. “i really like the feeling of your panga after shaving, bal,” he giggles quietly. “ang soft.”

“mhm,” sehun hums sleepily, parang sarap na sarap. “parang pwet mo.”

_my god, kaya pala._

nanlaki mata ni jeonghan and again, scandalized, remembering what sehun did a while ago. “ikaw ha. you can’t touch my butt like that again.”

nakita ni jeonghan si sehun magsmile sa dilim. all lights were out na except for the dim light the study table sa may gilid ng room provided. “bakit hindi?”

next thing he knows, inusog siya ni sehun a little sa gitna ng kama and pumatong, more like hover, sa taas niya like earlier bago sila dalawa maligo. “akala ko ba you will sleep na!” jeonghan says.

sehun groaned raspily, halatang nakatulog and it looked like he was still sleepy.

jeonghan was about to ask what was sehun going to do when sehun removes the sunflower blanket out of their body and put his one knee between jeonghan’s thighs. his hands were on the both sides of jeonghan and he, half lidded, stared at jeonghan.

“what are you doing?” jeonghan raises an eyebrow in question with a smile.

it was dim but not fully dark. there was light. jeonghan could see sehun’s face clearly looking at him with seriousness. sehun’s minty breathe fanned his cheeks and to his surprise, mas linapit ni sehun ang mukha niya to him.

jeonghan could clearly see sehun’s heated eyes along with the way his tongue rolled on his cheek.

“it’s been five years,” sehun whispered huskily, breaking the silence. “limang taon na simula palang, gusto na kita halikan.”

“hmm?” nagkunyari si jeonghan he doesn’t get what sehun is talking about so he hums.

“kahit isang beses, mahal, hindi mo ako pagbibigyan?” sehun asks.

he touches jeonghan in the stomach, slithering his large hand down and inserts it inside of jeonghan’s shirt. sakto pa na lunod sa laki si jeonghan and sehun easily slips his hand inside.

“sehun,” jeonghan whines knowingly but saying sehun’s name turned into a soft mewl nang mafeel niya yung warm palm ni sehun enveloping his tummy.

it was his weakness sa tiyan. some point, years ago, sehun found out jeonghan felt good when his smooth waist or stomach was being caressed.

pinagmasdan ni sehun gumaan ang mukha ni jeonghan under his touch, like a baby getting sleepy. jeonghan’s lashes fluttered against his cheek as he stared up kay sehun. sehun chuckled under his breathe.

“mahal?” sehun asks instead softly.

jeonghan hesitantly nods against the pillows, his blonde hair ruffling against the sheets. “please,” he softly pleaded amid the pleasure of sehun’s hand na hinahaplos ang tiyan niya. this was their normal. they have done this before and always have when jeonghan wanted affection.

sehun lowers himself down jeonghan’s body as his one hand na nakaalalay kanina sa side ni jeonghan slid down. sehun’s face hovered naman sa taas ng tiyan ni jeonghan, his hand inside jeonghan’s shirt slid out to lift jeonghan’s shirt ng konti.

blowing raspberries against jeonghan’s tummy is what he loved to do during the nights they sleep together. “blow na ako, baby, ha?” sehun murmurs, lowering his lips to the plush skin of the younger.

jeonghan nods and kita naman ni sehun yun when he’s staring up at his face. jeonghan’s eyes were now half lidded, drowning in the space he was pag ginaganto siya ni sehun. jeonghan can’t explain why but sehun doing anything to his tummy was a pleasure and weak spot for him.

it was also a way for him to relax and forget.

sehun starts by blowing first air against jeonghan’s skin and it elicited a reaction. gumiggle si jeonghan like a baby, his hand carding through sehun’s hair. he feels the curly locks of the basketball player at hinawakan ito softly, his fingers digging through sehun’s scalp gently.

“kiliti?” sehun murmured. he knows makikiliti talaga si jeonghan but when the younger is in this state already, sehun always goes slowly and gently, hindi bibiglain si jeonghan.

“yes, _daddy_.”

and so it starts. pero hindi ganito kasing bilis ng mga nakaraan, sehun observed.

lost in his subspace, lahat ng trauma na idinulot ng tatay niya at pagod ay nalilimutan ni jeonghan sa mga oras na ‘to.

it was sehun who filled the void for him in this way, to make him forget kahit saglit. to give him a rest from the world.

sehun continues to blow ng konti sa tiyan ni jeonghan, rubbing circles with the pad of his thumb sa bawat iwan ng ihip niya. jeonghan only kept on humming and mewling, depende kung saang parte humihipan si sehun. “good boy,” he praises jeonghan.

malikot si jeonghan minsan at masyado nagssquirm pag humihipan si sehun that’s why when jeonghan is behaved well, he would always praise the younger.

linapat ni sehun ang kanyang labi sa mismong balat ni jeonghan. sa malambot, makinis at maputing tiyan, dinampa dampa ni sehun labi niya ng mabagal on it, giving love on each spot like how jeonghan loves it.

the boy under him squirms in pleasure at umungol.

“more pa, baby?” sehun pauses kissing jeonghan’s tiyan, watching him carefully.

“more, please.”

sehun is pleased na nagplease si jeonghan. at times, demanding si jeonghan and hindi niya pag bibigyan ‘to, resulting him to throw tantrums.

alam ni sehun he was more quiet and obedient today dahil pinush ni sehun ng kaunti boundary ni jeonghan today. like he planned a month ago.

“okay,” pumayag si sehun, continuing his ministrations sa tiyan ni jeonghan.

sehun’s lips kisses every area he could reach, jeonghan feeling the warm kisses on his stomach. it was always like this with sehun. he always felt warm and loved.

jeonghan was not fully in the proper headspace as a twenty-one year old, but he knows kung gaano siya kamahal at inaalaga ni sehun despite being busy most of the times.

and as a fuck up in the society, you call it a _kink_.

as per jeonghan, he calls it his escape.

  
  
  


* * *

  
  
  


“ate irene!” sumigaw si jeonghan ng malalim when he enters the empty mansion at pinalitan ang sapatos na suot suot niya with his house slides na nakaready to wear already when he goes inside his house.

no one answers kaya he yells again, “ate irene!” his voice echoes against the empty living room na unang room pagkapasok ng house and walang sumasagot.

where was irene? he was about to shout for miss irene again when the woman finally shows up, nakascrub uniform like usual—not because she was a maid.

irene bae was actually a vet, working in the back of the mansion where may pet shop na pamamay-ari ng pamilya ni jeonghan.

ate irene was not really his kasambahay, per se, but someone who’s trusted enough to look after the house since she works at the shop just at the back of the house.

“hey,” irene greeted jeonghan, nodding. “san ka galing?”

“sorry i didn’t text,” sabi ni jeonghan, putting the paperbag of his marumi on the floor but fixes his shoulder bag on his, well, shoulder. “i slept sa dorm ni sehun.”

by now, its established already na palagi si sehun kasama niya pag hindi maaga umuuwi, or in this case dahil sa dorm ni sehun siya natulog, umuwi.

irene nods, fixing the steth on her neck. “don’t you have classes today?”

umiling si jeonghan. when he woke up in the morning, ready to go home na to palit for his ten o’clock class, his PSY103 or in non-atenean jargon, his development psychology lecture’s prof texted sa groupchat nila on messenger he had to cancel today.

also his three next classes. hindi niya alam why but it probably had to do with ateneo and their sudden admin meetings. jeonghan’s not complaining. hindi pa siya done with his case studies and readings.

“wala, ate. cancelled lahat.”

“okay.” the woman seemed relief with his sagot. she puts her hands sa pocket ng scrub suit niya. “i bought food kanina, its in the pantry lang. lalabas ka ba today after? tell me before you go because aalis ako.”

napaisip si jeonghan and paused, thinking if may plano ba siya today. so far, sehun has classes today and hindi rin naman siya inaya ng classmates niya after the cancellation so he guesses it’s a no. umiling siya ulit.

“okay,” yun nalang ulit sinabi ni irene. this was their usual conversation when he goes home, anyways. they were close naman ni ate irene but jeonghan can’t find the time to catch up and same goes kay irene.

tumunog cellphone ni irene and agad na kinalikot ni irene. jeonghan waves, smiling, knowing irene was going to busy for the day now.

“bye, hannie. text me lang. tinatawag na ako ni doc jun.” irene answers the phone and walks back papuntang kitchen where the backdoor going to the pet shop is.

malaki bahay ni jeonghan, he’s not going to be pahumble pa when it’s the truth and mabagal si irene maglakad kaya rinig parin siya.

“yie, doc jun!” jeonghan teased and agad na liningon siya ni irene, pinangtirikan ng mata. he laughs at waves ulit. irene has a huge crush sa head vet nung shop, that’s why every chance he gets, aasarin niya si miss irene.

iiwan niya nalang din dirty clothes niya sa gilid by the door since he knows irene will get it later at the end of the day and to the laundry shop since today was a friday.

he walks out of the living room and goes up the glass staircase of his mansion, the first door you see being his room.

the polished wooden floor of his house creaks ng kaunti sa pagtapak niya and he opens his room na walang kailaw-ilaw since iniwan niya ‘to yesterday without coming home. jeonghan flips on the switch and his tidy naman na room lights up.

the first thing he does is go to his desk chair and linapag ang black shoulder bag niya, opening it to get his phone. una niya talagang ginawa is to go to contacts and call the one person.

sino pa ba? he’ll just notify na nakauwi na siya.

jeonghan presses his ears against his phone and nag-intay may sumagot.

sehun picked up at the fourth ring.

“bal,” sehun greeted on the other line, and jeonghan hears him breathing heavily. napakunot siya ng forehead, sitting down on his made bed.

“bal? why hinihingal?” he asks concerned. its been only thirty minutes nung umalis siya kay sehun.

“sorry,” sehun wheezed, coughing. “walang pwedeng masakyan na jeep kaya tinakbo ko nalang papuntang building ko.”

sumakit ang batok ni jeonghan sa narinig niya. he knows where the college of arki building is and he knows how sobrang far yun from sehun’s dorm.

“oh my god, bal?!” he reacts worriedly. “bakit hindi mo ako tinawagan? i could’ve come back to hatid you or something!”

“okay lang,” sabi ni sehun, coughing for the last time. “kailangan ko na umalis. sorry sa abala, bal. malalate na ako. text kita mamaya.”

“okay,” jeonghan worriedly says pero okay parin. wala naman siyang magagawa. ganito si sehun sa up and hindi niya na yun papakialaman if that’s how his way to go to classes. it doesn’t mean he’ll not worry though.

he could only sigh when he hears the call drop and he just carelessly throws his phone sa bed.

he remembers last night.

jeonghan bit his lip, remembering na he let loose again. as usual, sehun was kind enough the next morning na icuddle siya at lambingin to coax him back bilang isang college student and adult.

it was his and sehun’s secret. about his...coping mechanism. how he wants to be treated when tired and how sehun helps him. sehun never found it weird daw and if it’s what jeonghan needs, yun daw ibibigay niya.

hindi talaga alam ni jeonghan ano ginawa niya sa past life niya to get a man like him.

suddenly, may nag _meow_ sa door.

jeonghan smiles, looking at his doorway where his persian cat named _woozi_ purred his greeting. his family didn’t own a vet shop for nothing. their family loves pets—well, his family used to. it was only him now.

“woozi,” jeonghan coos, standing up sa bed niya and linapitan ang matanda niya nang cat. if he remembered correctly, woozi was sixteen years old, in human age, he was eighty.

he is quite old na. naalala pa ni jeonghan he got him when he was six.

jeonghan crouches down sa cat niya and those sharp eyes look at him parang staring at his soul. all the time naman eh. “hi, lolo zi. how are you?” jeonghan politely asks his cat.

of course, woozi blinks at him slowly. jeonghan takes it as a response of okay.

the college student sighed, sitting down in indian seat. pag nagkikita sila ni woozi ng ganito, no matter where in the house, he will sit with his old cat and talk to him. like an elder. ang weird pero woozi has been like the elder at this house for years now ever since siya nalang mag-isa.

“i watched basketball yesterday,” simula ni jeonghan and started to pet woozi’s furry grey head. the old cat loves it kaya agad itong napapikit at napadapa, purring loudly.

jeonghan smiled. “i kind of enjoyed. kahit hate ko dahil kay donghae. alam mo naman yun right?” he calls his father by his name.

the cat doesn’t respond in words but rather, purrs louder. jeonghan scoffed, thinking talaga that this old cat can understand him. he probably could. hindi niya naman alam.

“hmm.” jeonghan hums. “its been three years since he left then mama left shortly. its been three years na ako nalang mag-isa. and you. and ate irene, even doc jun…” jeonghan drawls, getting lost on his thoughts.

he stares ahead blankly.

woozi yowls loudly so jeonghan realizes he stopped petting him. kumurap siya ng madaming beses kasi parang ang tagal niya nang nakatunganga.

the jersey number eleven appears in his mind suddenly.

“right.” jeonghan has a bright smile in his face again. “also, sehun.”

si bal niya. si sehun. si sehun de liano oh. the love of his life.

“alam mo ba, zi,” jeonghan says softly. “si sehun nalang is the reason why i still try.”

before jeonghan could continue his dialogue, mor like, monologue with his cat, nagring ulit phone niya and he just tries to lift his head a little to see but tumayo parin siya, nonetheless, and gets his phone.

**Bal calling…**

he swipes right to answer.

“bal?” jeonghan greeted, “kakacall mo lang kanina ha.”

“huh?” sehun asked back sa linya. “two hours ago huling tawag ko sayo, bal.”

“oh.” yun nalang nasabi ni jeonghan.

“okay ka lang?” agad na tinanong siya ni sehun. he looks back kay woozi who was on the way out ng kwarto niya. “yeah, im fine. anyways, bakit ka nagcall?”

“papunta ako sainyo.”

jeonghan then felt giddy. he’ll see sehun again. hindi talaga siya nagsasawa makita ito. “okay. do you need anything?”

“ikaw lang, bal, okay na ako dun.”

ah, sehun de liano oh.

  
  
  


* * *

  
  
  


sehun comes _home_ to him with his pawisan, after commuting state.

“shower ka, bal. sobrang pawis mo, oh,” jeonghan muttered grimacing, pinupunasan si sehun with a bimpo. he continues wiping sehun’s neck, jaw at sentido kahit medyo dry dry naman na. “tell me next time pag you need sundo ah. pwede naman kitang ibook ng grab.”

jeonghan looks at sehun’s old worn iphone sa may kitchen table. “palitan ko na yang iphone 5S mo, bal. that’s not going to work anymore.”

pagkabalik ng tingin ni jeonghan kay sehun, the latter was frowning down at him.

“why?” jeonghan asks. tuloy tuloy parin siya sa pagwipe kay sehun because like sehun, he’s also worried na bakamatuyuan and magkasakit si sehun. he’s an important person and also, even if he’s a healthy, fit athlete, he’s still more prone sa sakit kasi he commutes.

“hindi mo naman ako kailangan bilhan ng mga bagay, bal,” sabi ni sehun ng mahina. “sinabi ko na sayo yun, diba? malaking tulog na yung pagturo mo sakin magdrive at cologne na binibigay mo sakin palagi.”

jeonghan slowly stops patting sehun’s face with the bimpo and grimaces. “too much?”

sehun sighs, nodding, wrapping his arms around jeonghan’s shoulder sa likod to pull him close for a hug.

jeonghan rests his head sa balikat ni sehun, feeling the kinda pawis pa na body niya, but nasa bahay naman na sila and the living room’s aircon is on. he melts into sehun’s hug.

both of them sway at hinalikan ni sehun temple ni jeonghan. “walang too much sa pagmamahal and i’m always grateful for things you do for me, jeonghan, pero malaki na ako. kaya ko naman bilhin yung mga bagay na ganyan kahit hindi ako masyadong mayaman.”

napafrown si jeonghan, his gaze going down. it wasn’t intention to make sehun feel inferior in any way. “i’m sorry,” he murmurs, parang kicked down puppy. he feels sehun kiss his forehead naman. “i don’t mean to make you feel na mas mayaman ako o ano, i just love doing things for you.”

sehun’s chest rumbles as he hums. “alam ko, mahal. and i love you for that. atsaka, yung mga bigay ng fans ko, nakakatulong din yon.”

”yaaaabaaaang, fans,” jeonghan huffed but deep down, he’s thankful sa kanila. they were also a big part of how sehun had support, in and out of basketball.

“o wag ka selos,” tawa ni sehun.

jeonghan then tilted his head up to look at sehun’s side profile, pouting. the basketball player looked sideways at him naman, smiling.

”nood nalang tayo doctor romantic? paborito mo? nandun yung kambal ko diba na palagi mong sinasabi na masar—”

“you mean, mas kamukha ni kuya yeons—“

“ay, sige,” sehun cuts jeonghan off, yung ngiti niya nawala. nagtampo. “tama na, wag nalang pala manood.”

jeonghan scrunches his nose, giggling. “joke lang, bal. dali na, let’s watch sa living room.”

  
  


**Author's Note:**

> *sighs into dreamland about kuya yeonseok*
> 
> feel free?? to knock on my twit: @forjeonghun, i'd love to hear ur thoughts :)


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